“It might be a good way to get rid of me without guilt,” Elijah said.

“I wouldn’t feel guilt if I had to get rid of you,” Rio answered easily. “Go in.”

Elijah sighed and entered the house, obviously on the alert. He was a shifter, a very good one, fast and efficient, a killer should there be need, but his clothes would hamper him, slow him down when he might need the speed against two fifty-pound leopards. He saw the eyes gleaming at him in the darkness. The two cats had separated and were waiting patiently. One crouched on the mantle, the other was belly to the ground beside the chair. Just waiting. Ears flat, lips snarling. Eyes glowing.

Rio felt the effects of traveling so many miles in such a short time. His body burned with fatigue. He hadn’t had the necessary time to recoup after donating more blood than he could afford. Franz had called him from a distance, alerting him to the danger to Rachael. Rio slugged down the orange juice and rushed out, not taking the time to rest from the dizzying blood loss. The trip back had been a nightmare, terror choking him. He pushed the swift-moving leopard to the limit, racing across the miles even when the beast burned for air.

“Rio?” Rachael’s voice was a soft concern. “Come sit down. Between your arsenal and my brother’s, we have enough weapons to start a war. If any other neighbor comes calling, begging for sugar, I say we should just shoot them.”

“We can’t do that,” Rio protested. “Tama’s bound to come looking for his stray researcher.”

Elijah pushed his hand through his hair. “That guide is a pain in the butt. I had to have a couple of my men create a minor catastrophe in order to get his eyes off of me.” He stepped cautiously around the chair and sank onto the sofa.

“The garrote.” Rio ordered as he caught up a pair of jeans and stepped into them. “Take that off too.”

Rachael’s eyebrows flew up. “Elijah, you can’t be carrying a garrote.”

“I forgot about it.” Elijah reached up to remove the necklace from around his throat. He handed it to his sister to be added to the growing stockpile of weapons.

Rachael heaved an exaggerated sigh. “The two of you are crazy.”

“Probably,” Rio conceded. He took the glass of water she gave him and tipped the entire contents down his throat. “I take it Elijah didn’t try to kill you.”

“Tony was working for Armando.” She busied herself making coffee so she wouldn’t have to look at either of them. Her hands were shaking. Her knees felt weak. She had dreaded this moment for so long and now she didn’t know how to feel. She almost didn’t trust the relief sweeping through her and she was afraid she might start cr ying all over both of them. “You had it figured out. Elijah is a shifter.”

“So of course you couldn’t go to the police. The first rule is we keep everything in our realm.” Rio let out his breath slowly. “And Armando is using shifters as assassins.”

“He bribed a couple of shifters in South America. Or maybe he blackmailed them, I don’t know. He’s capable of anything. He could have threatened to burn down the rain forest, or take a major hunting party in to wipe everyone out.” Elijah stretched his legs out in front of him, his black eyes gleaming like obsidian in the night. “I’m not certain he’s human. I went into his house one night. The leopard can go in so stealthily, I was certain I could take him.” He sighed and shook his head. “He isn’t a man, he’s a devil. He had a double in his room and he was nowhere to be found.”

“How many shifters does he have?”

“Two that I know of. I doubt if he has more. We’re an elusive bunch, and he doesn’t spend a great deal of time in South America. Duncan was one of them.”

The elder came in and inclined his head. “I must go back to the village and care for my grandson. I thank you for what you did, Rio.”

“I was happy to be of some small service, Elder,” Rio replied. “I do want news of Drake should you hear. I was unable to get near Joshua and no one else volunteered the information.”

Rachael’s head snapped up. She glared at the old man. “Who did you say was civilized?” She asked sweetly.

“Hafelina.”There was more love than reprimand in the single endearment.

Little cat. She knew it now. Knew what he called her. The long-forgotten language was one she distantly remembered from her childhood and it was beginning to come back to her.

Elijah sat up very straight, a frown on his face. He shook his head but remained silent as the older man came into the room. There was a dignity about him that demanded respect.

“Don’t reprimand her for speaking her mind or defending you, Rio,” the elder said. “She is a woman of courage and integrity. I am no longer a member of the council, but I am bound by our laws. I’ll do my best to change what was decreed, but I face punishment for my actions. I wish that I’d taken action some time ago instead of waiting until a personal crisis happened. I’ll send word of Drake’s condition immediately. Don’t get up, I’ll shift on the verandah. My pack is out there.” He smiled at Rachael. “I am blessed I had such an opportunity to meet you and exchange ideas.” His gaze went to Elijah. “Your sister has taught an old man it is never too late to right a wrong. You know the right path.”

Elijah gripped the arms of the chair hard, nails digging deep. “There is no redemption for what I’ve done.”